Review: Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket

With the Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket, the Patagonia team has come up with a jacket built for the demands of cold-weather running. Finding that perfect blend of insulation, weather protection and breathability for highly-aerobic activities is a tall order, but the Nano-Air Light Hybrid is up to the task.

Air permeability: 40-CFM on front; 130-CFM knit on back/sleeve underside

Waffle knit back and under sleeves

Two handwarmer pockets are pack-friendly

Low-bulk cuff features thumb holes for added coverage

Simple stretch binding at hem

MSRP: $199

A cold run is perfect weather for the Nano-Air Light Hybrid.

Patagonia’s latest is built for activity

Hot on the heels of the Nano-Air Light Hoody, the Nano-Air Light Hybrid is built specifically for cold-weather activity. The construction is a combination of FullRange insulation in the chest and sleeve fronts with a waffle knit on the back and the underside of the sleeves. This general hybrid recipe is not new, but Patagonia’s take on it is certainly worthy of added attention. Active insulators are everywhere, but FullRange is certainly one of the best on the market and this combination is excellent.

Let’s begin with fit. I was a little bit misguided by the “slim fit” designation, thinking that I might want to size up for a little more versatile fit. That was a mistake as the size large on my 5’11” 170 lb. body is just a bit large. That said, I did appreciate the added sleeve length, but in general, don’t size up with this one and you’ll be just fine.

The frontside features weather-resistant panels.

And the backside is waffle knit for supreme breathability.

Sometimes, waffle-knit sleeves can be a bit of a pain when playing with base layers as they tend to bunch up your sleeves. Thankfully, the smooth nylon ripstop on the front/back of all insulated panels allows base layers to slip past without a problem. The simple sleeve cuff is comfortable and the triangular insert on the palm side is stretchy and works perfectly with the thumb port (which came in handy when I got caught without gloves).

Nicely-designed sleeve cuffs add warmth in a pinch.

As stated, this jacket is built for running and other high-output activities. I’ve been running in it in a variety of temperatures (25 – 50 degrees) and it does work well in that range. While the wind protection and warmth of the front panels does its job under all conditions, the waffle knit back is highly-porous. That permeability is intended and works well so long as you don’t get a stiff tailwind on colder days. I remember a switchback where I went from a headwind to a tailwind and things got cold really quickly. Just keep moving and it will all even out.

Zipping things up is easy as the chosen YKK Vision zipper moves easily with a simple tug. With that, the collar height and diameter is excellent for warmth and coverage. The only change I’d suggest is perhaps a knit panel on the inside of the back collar. After a long run, it can get sweat-saturated that a more breathable fabric might alleviate that. The jacket is very compressible and can be stuffed easily into a pack to be used in a pinch.

The Good

Excellent combination of materials

Warm so long as you’re moving

Thumb holes come in handy

Comfortable next-to-skin

Compresses well for packability

The Bad

Backside of collar can get quite wet after a long run

Watch out for brisk tailwinds

The Bottom Line: Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket

With an excellent combination of materials, the Nano-Air Light Hybrid jacket delivers warmth and breathability when needed. The frontside panels keep things warm and adeptly shed wind/moisture while the waffle fabric breathes like a sieve. Those in search of a breathable running jacket that also delivers core warmth will appreciate this package.

About Author

A Seattle native, Jason developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 -- sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.